(Los Angeles, January 15, 2001) - New Line Cinema's website for its upcoming action adventure trilogy The Lord of The Rings continues to generate astounding levels of traffic on the Internet with more than 41 million hits since re-launching on Friday.

In the earliest hours of the re-launch of www.lordoftherings.net, more than one million hits an hour were recorded from people exploring the content-rich destination. New Line will unveil the first installment of The Lord of the Rings trilogy on December 19th with the release of The Fellowship of the Ring.

"The Internet has always been an important part of our marketing strategy for this property and the numbers speak for themselves," said Joe Nimziki, President of Theatrical Marketing for New Line Cinema.

"There have been few film properties that have generated this kind of interest in the history of the Internet," said Gordon Paddison, Senior Vice President of Interactive Marketing and Business Development. "The Lord of the Rings has inspired literally hundreds of fan sites and they all have a ravenous appetite for news and information about this project. We are tremendously flattered by this overwhelming response and the challenge now is to make sure that we continue to deliver a satisfying, fun and informative experience for those using the web to keep up to date on our films."

Web fans travelling to the site find an environment loaded with up-to-the-minute production information, interviews with the filmmakers and cast, photos, an IPIX tour of a set, downloadable screensavers, a web browser, and an interactive map of Middle Earth. In all, users could spend upwards of two hours on the site and not explore all of the content available to them. New elements will be added weekly during the next four years.

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, January 19th, fans will be able to view the film's first theatrical trailer using Real Networks video streaming technology.

Generations of more than 100 million people around the globe have grown up with this epic novel. The legend has been translated into 40 different languages and inspired an entire genre of movies and fiction, and has influenced some of the greatest artists of our time. Just last year, THE LORD OF THE RINGS was named the number one most popular book of the century. But it has never been told in its entirety on the screen.

Using the power of contemporary cinema technology, New Line Cinema is proud to transform J.R.R. Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS into a history-making motion picture event.

Beginning on December 19, 2001, New Line will present a grand trilogy of live-action feature films -- The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. The three separately released installments will also mark the return of "Cliffhanger Cinema" for the first time since the serial adventures of decades past.

The Lord of the Rings will collectively re-tell the story of Frodo Baggins, who battles against the Dark Lord, Sauron to save Middle-earth from the grip of evil. In the films, Frodo and The Fellowship embarks on a desperate journey to rid the earth of the source of Sauron's greatest strength, the One Ring -- a ring of such power that it cannot be destroyed. His extraordinary adventures across the treacherous landscape of Middle-earth reveal how the power of friendship and courage can hold the forces of darkness at bay.

Tolkien's mythic vision will come to life through cutting-edge cinema technology and artistry. Never before has such a monumental undertaking been contemplated or executed. The commitment of time, resources and manpower are unheard of as all three films and more than 1,000 effects shots are being produced concurrently with the same director and core cast.

Helmer Peter Jackson, whose visionary style of filmmaking and emotional acuity won accolades for his Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners, brings his deep love for the source material to the project. Produced by Barrie M. Osborne, the films feature a strong international cast that includes (in alphabetical order) Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davis, Andy Serkis, Liv Tyler, and Elijah Wood. But the real star of the films is the story itself - a classic hero's quest in which the smallest of beings changes the course of the future with the vastness of his courage.